China, Challenged the U.S. Stance

On June 8, a senior official in the Chinese Foreign Ministry publicly challenged the Bush administration’s claim that North Korea had been trying to develop nuclear bombs using uranium.

Zhou Wenzhong, China’s vice foreign minister to the United States, said in an interview with the New York Times on June 8, “We know nothing about the (North Korean) uranium program, also we don’t know whether it exists,” adding, “The U.S. has not presented convincing evidence of this program.”

The official suggested, “The Bush administration should withhold from making claims about North Korea’s nuclear program until they have more conclusive evidence on the issue,” and added, “The U.S. shouldn`t delay the sixth talks for the reasons they are claiming.”

This is the first time a Chinese government official openly challenged the U.S claim against the North Korean nuclear program, and Mr. Zhou’s comments indicates a shift in China’s approach to the issue. So far, China has been cooperating with the U.S for the multilateral talks.

Bush administration officials, including Vice President Dick Cheney, have said that based on the evidence acquired from a Pakistani nuclear scientist, Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan, North Korea has been pushing to develop nuclear bombs using HEU (Highly Enriched Uranium), and (according to Cheney) North Korea also has admitted it.

The U.S holds a stance stating that if North Korea does not dismantle the HEU program, there will be no more progress in the talks.

Young-Sik Kim spear@donga.com